Dolphin sighting in the Homosassa River & Tiger Tail Bay! (Jan 23, 2018)

After spotting a dolphin far inland in the Homosassa River (near Buzzard Point), we explored other parts of the Homosassa and Halls River. After going up the Halls River, we decided to drive to the Gulf of Mexico and see if Homosassa Bay was calm enough to drive the jon boat through. After reaching the westernmost part of the river, we decided against exploring the bay, and began to head back eastward toward the springs. Along the way, when we were just east of Tiger Tail Bay, we spotted a group of about three dolphins. The dolphins began heading westward down the river. We passed by a few boats as we made our way toward Tiger Tail Bay, but we had no competition at dolphin watching. Not one boat slowed down to watch or simply let the dolphins pass by - they all were either anchored with fishing lines out, or they simply barged through the pod.

Dolphin!!

The dolphins continued westward, crossing and almost exiting Tiger Tail Bay - once they reached Beli Island, however, they stopped and began to mull around (probably looking for fish). Not far from Beli Island, the dolphins began what appeared to be a short round of socializing - this included a wonderful spyhopping display! (along with some rolling, splashing, and fluking).

Not far from Beli Island

Spyhopping!

Spyhopping dolphin in the Homosassa River

Some sort of fluke-flinging behavior

Dolphin melon

After this, the dolphins continued casually swimming around, then, they headed into the entrance of some sort of shallow creek (I'm having trouble locating it on the map - how annoying) and began hunting fish by using the "mud netting" technique. In this display (it's usually a group effort), one dolphin will swim around a school of fish (usually mullet) in a circle, beating its tail flukes against the bottom and creating a chain of muddy plumes surround the fish. Terrified, the fish leap out of the "net" of mud, only to be caught in the waiting dolphins' mouths! This first attempt appeared to be quite successful, and mullet exploded from the river.

The dolphins head toward the "cove"

One dolphin begins swimming in a circle

The others race in to the scene

Mullet explode from the river!

After this successful round of mud netting, the dolphins began swimming right toward us (by the way, we were pretty much just drifting now). I was holding my breath as one dolphin began swimming in a circle in shallow water while the others lined up to the side literally about twenty feet in front of our boat. The mud net was complete, and the first dolphin quickly aligned itself next to the others. All three floated at the water's surface with their left eye out of the water, facing the mud net. No fish jumped. Unfortunately, this round had failed. Although the dolphins' "mud netting" technique is clever and often very successful, it doesn't work every time. After their failed attempt, the dolphins took a quick breath, then dove underwater and began looking for another school.

The dolphins started swimming right toward us!

They swam up into shallow water and began the mud netting technique literally about twenty feet in front of our boat!

The dolphins found what they were looking for. They repeated the mud netting process, and this time it was a success. Mullet flew out of the net, only to be caught by the dolphins. It was amazing.

A successful round of mud netting!

Interestingly, the local Brown Pelicans seemed to know what the dolphins were doing. It appeared that a group of pelicans would kind of follow the dolphins around, and when the pod began mud netting, they would immediately attempt to dive bomb fish in and around the net.

After that round of fishing, the dolphins began swimming out of the little cove (actually, it may have been the entrance to a creek - but I don't know, I'm having trouble finding it on the map). One actually swam right beside out boat! In the dark, brownish-colored water of the Homosassa River, the dolphin's gray shapes actually appeared yellowish white when viewed through the water's surface.

Here comes a dolphin!

The dolphins continued heading westward. Were they heading for the ocean? I don't know - we left the dolphins at this point, and continued toward the springs in hopes of finding manatees.